Entries into Sold Out TD Beach to Beacon 10K Still Available from 2017 Race Beneficiary Let’s Go! and Other Past Charities

Charity bib program alone has now generated more than $1.5 million for Maine nonprofits in TD Beach to Beacon history

CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine
(April 11, 2017)
– Runners still looking for a spot at the start line of the sold-out TD Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race can secure a bib from Let’s Go!, the race’s 2017 race beneficiary, in exchange for fundraising.

In addition, 16 former beneficiaries are participating in this year’s charity bib program, which enables the organizations to obtain highly-coveted race entries to utilize in fundraising efforts.

As of today, fewer than 180 bibs are still available from
Let’s Go!
and the other beneficiaries for runners who want to raise money for entry into the popular international road race on Aug. 5 in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.

The
TD Beach to Beacon
’s bib program alone has generated more than $1.5 million for Maine charities since the race began. Together with the annual $30,000 cash donation from the TD Charitable Foundation to the designated race beneficiary, the race’s total support for Maine non-profit organizations helping children now exceeds $2 million – including at least $525,000 over the past three years alone.

“Earning a bib through our beneficiaries remains perhaps the most fulfilling way to participate in the TD Beach to Beacon," said Race President Mike Stone. "We appreciate runners who make fundraising part of their race experience. It's a great way to gain entry and to also help out Let’s Go! or one of the other former race beneficiaries, each of them so worthy.”

He also encouraged clubs and civic groups looking for a charity activity that combines physical fitness with philanthropy to secure bibs from one or several different race charities.

The 2017
TD Beach to Beacon 10K
marks the special 20
th
running of the iconic American summer road race that attracts some of the world’s fastest distance runners to the coast of Maine, where the race ends at the Portland Headlight, the most photographed lighthouse in the world.

The event is the fulfillment of race founder and Olympic gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson’s dream to stage a major international road race in her native Cape Elizabeth. Charitable giving remains an important component of that endeavor.

The TD Beach to Beacon last month sold out after filling 6,000-plus slots via online registration and a lottery, meaning the best way in for those who still want a bib – and want to do some good as well – is through the charity bib program.

Runners looking for a bib are encouraged to check first with the 2017 beneficiary, Let’s Go!, a nationally recognized program of The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center focused on increasing physical activity and healthy eating for children from birth to age 18. To learn more, visit
www.letsgo.org
and find Let’s Go! on
Facebook
.

Let’s Go! collaborates with schools, child care and out-of-school programs, healthcare practices and community organizations in Maine and New Hampshire to reach children and their families wherever they live, learn, work, and play. Let’s Go! reaches more than 220,000 children, using the 5-2-1-0 healthy habits message – five or more fruits and vegetables, two hours or less of screen time, one hour or more of physical activity, and zero sugary drinks.

Let’s Go! also is seeking local businesses or individual to sponsor the Let’s Go! B2B Running Team in exchange for running bibs, increased visibility and other perks and recognition. For more information, contact Sarah Stern at
sstern@mmc.org
.

For many of the Maine nonprofits in the program, the revenue generated from the TD Beach to Beacon is relied on each year to help cover essential services or to maintain or expand a new program, based on feedback from those organizations.

The charity bib program now generates about $150,000 in total each year for the participating organizations. Last year’s beneficiary, My Place Teen Center, raised an additional $22,416 through bib fundraising and other activities for a total of $52,416, while the 2015 beneficiary, Good Shepherd Food Bank, raised a total of $76,344, including the $30,000 cash donation from the TD Charitable Foundation.

“The funds we continue to raise each year through the TD Beach to Beacon beneficiary bibs are essentially a reliable stream of revenue, which is all too rare in the nonprofit world,” said Lori Southworth, Director of Grants and Special Events for the Susan L. Curtis Charitable Foundation, the 2008 beneficiary.

“The runners who fundraise for our beneficiary bibs are so appreciative of being able to secure a bib - and of being able to help a worthwhile program at the same time,” she added. “It’s a win-win outcome, and we feel very fortunate that our nonprofit is part of the legacy of such an important, even historic event every year.”

Past and present race beneficiaries say they also benefit from increased publicity and awareness by being associated with one of Maine’s premiere sporting events, which pays dividends for years to come by attracting new donors, goodwill and other financial support.

The TD Beach to Beacon celebrates health, fitness and giving back. In 2016, 6,336 runners from 15 countries, 43 states and more than 265 Maine cities and towns finished the winding, rolling, often breathtaking 6.2-mile coastal course. Thousands of spectators cheered runners along the route and at the finish, and more than 800 volunteers helped ensure a smooth operation. The race debuted in 1998 with 2,408 runners crossing the finish line.

More than $90,000 in prize money is awarded to the top finishers and place winners in the various categories for men and women.

The TD Beach to Beacon 10K is directed by Dave McGillivray of DMSE Sports (
www.dmsesports.com
), who also directs the B.A.A Boston Marathon and is regarded one of the industry’s best at creating a safe, positive experience for participants.

About the TD Charitable Foundation
The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank
®
, one of the 10 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States. The Foundation's mission is to support individuals, families and businesses in the communities that TD Bank serves. The Foundation has made more than $167.3 million in charitable donations since its inception in 2002, primarily in the areas of affordable housing, financial literacy and education, and the environment. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation, including an online grant application, is available at
www.TDBank.com
.

About TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank
®
TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 8 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at approximately 1,300 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth
®
, and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit
www.tdbank.com
. Find TD Bank on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/TDBank
and on Twitter at
www.twitter.com/TDBank_US
.

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol "TD". To learn more, visit
www.td.com
.